Books with title The Cat Show: Exceptional Tales for Exceptional Kids

The Iliad describes the last years of the war between the Trojans and the Greeks with tales of heroes, battles, quarrels, and especially of Achilles--the greatest warrior among all the Greeks. The Odyssey continues the story after the fall of Troy, as Odysseus begins his exciting journey home. His voyage to Circe's enchanted island, down to the underworld, to the land of the Sirens, and finally home to patient Penelope remains one of the best adventure stories ever told.All of the pride, daring, love, and revenge of these two enduring tales is captured in a way that spans ages and levels of familiarity with the works. Adults will find them the perfect complement to the originals for clarification or for pure reading pleasure. Younger children will love hearing the daring adventures read aloud, and young adults will appreciate a text that does not talk down to them, but is clear, understandable, and enjoyable. Joan Kiddell-Monroe's exquisite black and white illustrations blend a contemporary style with the classical and add to the timeless appeal of the stories."The tragedy of Achilles, who prefers a short and glorious life to a long and obscure one, forms the dramatic core of this complex story of the war between the Trojans and the Greeks. Son of a mortal and a god, Achilles is boldly portrayed against a fabric of those noble deeds which later were to provide the Greeks with their dramatic mythology. Illustrated in the classical tradition by Joan Kiddell-Monroe, this prose companion to Barbara Picard's The Odyssey of Homer is recounted with economy and vigor. The classical essence of the story is maintained as the fate of men, gods and countries emerge with a swift and noble dramatic force entirely in keeping with the lofty nature of The Iliad's intent. Free of ponderous forms and language, this edition of The Iliad conveys the pure quality of that epic and goes far to encourage the reader in the further investigation of the Greek world." KIRKUS REVIEW

This retelling of legends of tall warriors and old enchantments takes its place beside the author’s two previous titles, Hero Tales of the British Isles and Tales of the British People. As in the earlier books, Miss Picard’s writing captures the magical quality so fitting for these strange tales of love and violence and heroism in which the legendary heroes of Ireland play such dramatic roles.She writes of the people of Dana, the strange colorful gods of ancient Ireland; of Finn and the Fianna, some of the greatest heroes of all legends, and of a different King Arthur—not Malory’s pattern of chivalry nor yet the Celtic deity he may originally have been, but both a fine warrior and a more than human figure.The varied tales include The Children of Lir—one of the Three Sorrows of storytelling; The Bride Price for Olwen, in which Kilhwch has to win countless treasures and accomplish great feats, with Arthur’s help; the light-hearted Pursuit of the Hard Man, which shows Finn and his warriors in a not-so-serious light, and many other stories to stir the imagination. Once again, the author has written brief introductory notes relating each story to a specific background.“This welcome companion to Tales of the British People and Hero Tales from the British Isles taps the rich but barely popularized vein of the ancient Irish mythology. These stories lack the ornamentation of the later British folklore, but are starkly stirring and forceful. The action is generally violent, but its simplicity is without morbid brutality or gothic gruesomeness. With the accompaniment of detailed notes, the group of tales indicate the interesting evolution of this body of myths as well as the complex interrelationships of the family of gods. John G. Galsworthy's heraldically stylized illustrations are fitting to the text.” KIRKUS REVIEW

When the cats get hungry and market day arrives, they just can’t help themselves! Such yummy seafood to had for who who would deny the cats some fat juicy fish-heads? Well, it turned out to be Mrs. Gubbins, who did not like cats. Chaos ensues!Reviews“...a most attractive book, with a pointed and well-told story and magnificently vigorous and stylishpictures...Almost alone among contemporary workers in this field (Stobbs) draws with equal assurance and personality the human and animal actors and places them in their setting.”The Junior Bookshelf (London)“…it is difficult to say which is better, the almost poetic text with its meticulous attention to details, which young children so enjoy, or the perfectly matched illustrations.”Books For Young Children (London)About the AuthorJoan E. Cass (1901 - 1994) was born the first child and eldest daughter of a Church of England clergyman. She taught her father's younger Sunday School children while she was still at school, and her godmother then paid for her to qualify as a teacher. She subsequently taught and led more than one nursery school, including in London during World War II. Later, she became a Lecturer in Child Development at the London Institute of Education. The main influences on her work came from Sybil Marshall and, indirectly, Melanie Klein. A prolific children’s writer, Joan wrote fourteen illustrated children’s books, including the Cass Cat Quartet.